Nowhere to Hide
by alcatluvr13
Summary: Melinda thought she had gotten rid of Shane, her stalker, but she was wrong. Full summary inside. Based off of Episode 4 of Season 3, called No Safe Place.
1. A Normal Life

I DO NOT own any characters from Ghost Whisperer. This is purely a fanfic based on the show.

Full Summary:

Melinda thought she got rid of Shane, the stalker, but she was wrong. Shane is back and with a plan to have Melinda to himself. He waits 8 months to go back to Grandview and when he does, Melinda better watch or she and her husband, will regret ever letting Shane into their lives.

_Hello, All!_

_I love reviews and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Since this is my one of my first fanfics in a while, please be gentle with the comments. _

_A little background:_

_This is based off No Safe Place, the fourth episode in the third season of Ghost Whisperer. The one where Melinda has a stalker who is convinced she "loves" him. It takes place between the conversation between Delia & Melinda, and the very ending. In other words, its an additional "scene" that I added into the episode. _

_Anyway, please sit back and enjoy_ **Nowhere to Hide.**

A "Normal" Life

Melinda Gordan was at her shop in Grandview sorting through the new order from Boston.

"Hey Melinda, do you need any help?" asked a friendly voice.

She looked up, and smiled at her best friend, Delia Banks.

"No, I'm almost done. You can go if you want."

"Thanks. Hey, did I tell you the good news?" Delia asked.

"No, what's the good news?"

"I had the real school counselor call and confirm that Ned does not need any special services from the school. Ned's, and mine, name is cleared, and the application process is off hold."

"That's great news! I'm glad everything worked out well," Melinda said sincerely.

"Whatever happened to that creep?" Delia asked curiously.

"Oh, he's on trial for identity theft. He's out on bail now; my guess is that he's laying low for now. Anyway, I can sleep safely in my bed and Jim is walking me home every night," Melinda replied.

"Good, well, I'm going to go run some errands. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Have a nice day!"

**One Month Later **

_The Judge looked at the defendant and nodded. The jury sat restlessly in their seats, knowing that their votes didn't count, at least not in this particular case._

"_I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Shane Carson is guilty. However, due to the lack evidence given, the sentence is reduced to three years on parole and community service in Concord, New Hampshire. This case is now closed."_

_Shane smiled and nodded his head at the judge. He shook hands with his lawyer and walked out into the sunshine. _

Soon_, he thought, _I will be able to show my face in Grandview. And when that time comes, I will retrieve what I want. _He smiled to himself._ She will be so happy when she sees me! I'm sure she will be pining for me. Even now, she's probably thinking about me, praying that I will return soon. Once she realizes that her supposed love for her husband is fake, she will be ready to be swept off her feet by the one person who truly cares for her, the one person who can give her what she needs. And that one person is me.

_Shane whistled softly as he opened his car door and sat down._

Thank God Harry was the Judge on my case, _he continued thinking._ Without him, I would probably be on my way to prison right now. I know I can count on him to help me with my plans. True friends don't let you go into hell on your own. I don't know what I would do without him.

_His thoughts returned to Melinda._

Melinda must patient. It will be months before I can see her again, but when that time comes, I will whisk her away and then we can be together for the rest of our lives.

_With that last thought, Shane drove away from the courthouse, happily planning his next move._

**7 Months Later**

Melinda was cooking cajun salmon, couscous and preparing a salad for her guests when Jim came home from work.

"Hey, honey," Jim said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Hello Jim. Would you mind setting the table for us since I'm a little busy?" Melinda asked.

"I just get home and already she's asking me to work," her husband joked; Melinda laughed and threw a cherry tomato at him.

"Very funny...now help me out. Delia and Ned will be here soon."

"Alright..."

"Anything exciting at work happen today, Jim?" Melinda called from the kitchen.

"Not really. Although some guy came in claiming that he was hit by a car. The funny thing was that he wasn't even limping. He was completely fine. So we sent him to a psychiatrist who could help him. Other than that, it was pretty quiet," Jim replied.

Melinda was cutting peppers up when the doorbell rang. She quickly wiped her hands on a towel and rinsed the knife off. After checking on the salmon, she went upstairs.

"Jim, will you answer that? I'm going to go freshen up a bit."

"Yeah, sure!"

She changed into a simple peasant top embroidered with flowers and black capris. She could hear Delia and Ned, Delia's son, talking to her husband as she quickly washed her face. Deciding that her hair was fine, she went downstairs and greeted her guests.

"Delia, Ned, thanks for coming!" she said with a smile. "How was your vacation in Florida?"

"It was nice to get away and have a change of scenery. Ned here couldn't stop gawking at all the girls in bikinis," Delia replied.

"Mom!" Ned blushed. "I wasn't gawking! I was just..enjoying the view."

Melinda and Jim laughed. "It's alright, Ned. I did the same thing when I went to Mexico. All those-"

Jim stopped when he saw Melinda's playful glare. But when she had turned away, Jim winked at Ned, who grinned back.

"You two should get away for a while. Go on a cruise or someplace abroad; you both need the time off," Delia was saying to Melinda. "It would take all that stress off. I know ghosts sometimes take a toll on your energy, Melinda."

"I know, but it can be really hard for Jim to get off work. He's one of the best men they've got, and they rarely let him go for long periods of time," Melinda told her friend. "We've been wanting to go to Europe for quite some time, we just haven't had the time off."

The alarm went off in the kitchen, signaling that the salmon was done. Melinda got up to take the pan out and let the fish cool for a bit.

"Do you want any help? I need to do something, I always feel so lost when I'm sitting here doing nothing."

"Not with the salmon, but perhaps you could pour the wine?"

"Of course."

The two women left the living room, leaving the men alone.

"So Ned, how is school going?" Jim asked.

"Its alright. I'm getting pretty good grades," Ned paused, confused.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, I haven't told my mom this, but there's this kid who torments one of my friends. He doesn't do anything to me or anyone else, just Kyle. It's like he has some personal grudge against him."

"Does Kyle's family know?" Jim asked, concerned.

"No, his father left, and his mother and brother are always gone, working."

"Well, you should probably tell your mother, Ned. She may not be his mother, but she can help. She can have the teachers do something. It's never fun to be the scapegoat, let alone watch a friend be the scapegoat."

"Dinner's ready!" Delia called

"Tell your mother. She can help."

The four of them sat down at the dining room table, talking and laughing.

"Melinda, this is delicious. Where did you get this recipe?" Delia asked.

"It was my grandmother's. She was an excellent cook," she replied.

"All grandmother's are," Ned said.

"Not mine," Jim laughed. "She burnt everything that touched her hands."

Everyone chuckled. They continued talking, glad to be in each other's company and happy that they were friends. Even Ned told stories from their trip, stories that had everyone laughing until their stomachs hurt. The evening wore on; it seemed almost normal to Melinda.

_So this is what life without ghosts is like_, she thought. She wished that the night would never end and she could live a ghost free life. But deep down, she knew it was impossible. Knowing that her gift was permanent, she tried not to complain much. But Delia was right, it did take a toll on her health sometimes. _At least I have my friends and my husband,_ she said to herself. Realizing that someone was talking to her, she left her thoughts and returned to reality.

Meanwhile, outside in the snow, stood a figure. Looking inside, he saw Melinda laughing and holding Jim's hand. Jealousy raged inside him and he vowed that he would not rest until he had her safely away from that false husband of hers. Smiling to himself, he turned away and quietly walked back to his car.

_She'll be so happy when she finds out where we're going_, he thought_. Her own happy ever after._

_Well, I hope you liked this chapter!! I know that this chapter is kind of boring, but I promise, it gets better, if not the next chapter, definitely the following chapter will be more exciting._

_The next chapter is called: The Note_

_Summary of The Note:_

_Melinda receives a note in the mail from an anonymous sender. _

_Thanks for reading and don't forget to R&R!! _


	2. The Note

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Whisperer or any of the characters involved.

_I decided to update earlier than planned, but I'm sure that there is no objection to that._

_This chapter is the starting point of the more interesting "stuff". It may be a little dull, but the next chapter is much more promising. Besides, all good stories need a root, right? And then they just build up._

_Thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate it!_

_Well, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!_

The Note

The following morning, Melinda and Delia opened the store and prepared themselves for another day of customers.

"Hey, Melinda, where do you want these small cases to go? They won't fit on the shelf by the others," Delia asked.

"Oh, leave them in the basement, I'm still debating if I want to put them out now, or if I want to wait until next season," Melinda replied.

"Oh, alright."

After a couple of hours of slow business, a couple walked in, followed by a little boy. They were smiling and holding hands as they looked through the items that were housed in the store. However, the little boy remained serious; he followed the couple around the store. Neither the man nor the woman acknowledged the boy, in fact, it was if they didn't realize he was watching them.

Melinda knew the boy was a ghost. She waited until Delia entered the store from her break, and signaled her to stay close.

"There's a little boy following that couple. He's a spirit. Would you mind staying close so it looks like I'm talking to you?" she whispered.

"Of course."

"So, I think I'll add some flower garlands here, Delia. Its spring and this place looks a little dark. And maybe some vines over here, by the lamps," Melinda said loudly.

"Sure, I think we need a little brightness in here. If you don't mind, I would also suggest adding vases with flowers in them as well. Remember how we did that last year?" Delia said, taking her cue from her friend.

Melinda nodded but her eyes were on the boy, who noticed that she was looking at him.

"You can see me?" he asked.

"Yes, I can," she whispered.

"Melinda, the gilded mirror that was placed here, did you move it?"

She tore her gaze away from the boy.

"No, why?"

"Because it's gone."

"What?!" Now she was distracted from her target. She walked to where Delia was standing. "That mirror is expensive! No one could have stolen it, its too big to move without me noticing," Melinda said, frustrated. "Where could it have gone?"

The couple was leaving, and so was the boy.

"Damn!" she said as they left the store. "Oh well, they may be back, they were talking about the desk that we've been trying to get rid of. Anyway, we're going to have to figure out who took it. No one could have broken in, the alarm would have sounded."

"I'm sorry, Melinda. I didn't mean to distract you," Delia replied.

"No its fine. Hey, the mail's here."

"Hello, ladies," said the mailman. "I have a package here for you and the usual. Would you sign?"

"Sure," Melinda said.

"Melinda, there's a letter addressed to you. It looks personal."

"Really? Who's it from?"

"It doesn't say."

"Are you sure? It couldn't have been sent without a return address."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

They looked questioningly at the mailman.

"Hey, don't look at me. A woman came to me and asked me to deliver it to you. At first I refused, but she seemed desperate and she kept looking behind her. So I said I would deliver it, just so she wouldn't freak out on me," he told them.

"Did she say her name?" Delia asked.

"Nope. Well, I have to go. I'll see you ladies tomorrow, OK?"

The women nodded.

"Well, there's no harm in opening it. I don't see any liquid oozing out from it," Delia joked.

Melinda took the letter from Delia and tore the envelope open. Inside, there was a poem. She read:

_Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_Don' t worry, I'll be back,_

_And I'm coming for you._

"What does it say?" Delia asked.

"Nothing, it was just a letter confirming something that Jim and I proposed," Melinda lied.

"I wonder why there was no return address,"

"Yeah, they must have been busy to forget such a thing."

Both had forgotten what the mailman had said about the woman who demanded he deliver the letter. Melinda couldn't help but wonder who would send something like this to her.

_Its not Shane,_ she thought. _He's in prison for the next 5 years. _As the day neared its end, Melinda pondered what could have prompted someone to send this to her. _Its probably some prank, _she said to herself as she said goodnight to Delia. _I won't tell Jim or Delia, they would just worry and that's something that I don't want to deal with right now._ Putting the whole thing out of her head, she closed the store and started to walk home.

**Meanwhile...**

Shane sat in a black van outside of Melinda and Jim's house, waiting for any sign of activity. _She should be back soon,_ he thought. _She probably got held up at the store_. As he contemplated whether or not he should give the gift to her tonight, or wait a while, he saw Melinda's car turn on to the street. _Finally!_

She didn't notice the van, something that irritated Shane. _Oh, she's on her phone,_ he thought.

She turned into the driveway and shut the car off. As she got out of the car, Shane noticed that she seemed flustered and was talking very fast.

_She's realizing that her husband doesn't care about her!_ He thought with excitement. He rolled down the window a little so he could here her.

"Please don't go, Rick! I need help-" she paused. "No, that's not what I meant, and you know it. Come on, Rick. You promised!" Another pause. "Alright...that's fine. I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye."

_Who's Rick? Oh wait, its that professor who always helps her with her ghost stuff. I wonder what she meant...actually, it doesn't matter. She's home now, that's what I wanted. This Rick isn't even a real friend of hers if he isn't helping her with what she wanted. _

**Inside...**

Melinda set down her handbag and checked for any messages. Seeing none, she went upstairs to shower and change. On her vanity, she saw a note from Jim telling her that he'll be home late and not to stay up for him. "There's some chicken in the fridge, go ahead and help yourself."

"Aw, that's sweet, he cooked dinner during his break," she said aloud.

Grabbing a towel, she headed to the bathroom and turned the faucet on. As she was getting undressed, she suddenly felt this wave of uneasiness, as if she was being watched. She quickly wrapped her towel around her. Turning towards the door, she jumped back and gave a little scream.

"Did I scare you?" asked the boy.

"You startled me a little, that's all," Melinda told the apparition.

"Oh, OK."

"Why were you following that couple?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Their my parents," the boy replied. And with that last comment, he disappeared.

"You know, it would help if you told me what you wanted!" Melinda said, a little annoyed.

After her shower, she changed into her nightgown and settled down on the couch with a cup of tea and a book.

After an hour of reading, she headed upstairs for bed. It was at this point that she realized that the black van that was parked across the street was still there.

_I think there was someone inside when I passed by earlier,_ Melinda thought to herself. _I wonder if..._

She turned off all the lights, except the kitchen and front lights. Making it seem like she didn't notice the van, she turned off the bedroom light and got into bed. After waiting ten minutes, she climbed out and slipped her robe on.

_Are they still there?_

Discreetly looking out the spare bedroom window, Melinda saw that the van was gone.

_Huh_, she thought. _I'm tired, I should go to bed. Whoever it was probably realized how late it was and left. _

She went back to her bedroom and climbed back into bed. Before falling asleep, her last thought was:

_Where have I seen that van?_

**The next morning...**

Melinda woke up to the smell of pancakes and coffee. She dressed for work, putting on a simple baby blue cotton dress, brushed her hair and went downstairs to greet her husband.

"Hey, honey, you didn't have to do any of this," she said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mel. Don't worry about it, its my way of making up for last night," Jim said with a smile.

"Really? Aw, that's sweet of you, Jim."

"I know, I'm just that kind of guy," he replied with a laugh.

Melinda sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Why did you have to stay so late, anyway?" she asked.

"Bill had to take his daughter to the hospital and wasn't able to get out until his wife came back from where ever she was. So I said I would take his place. Mostly because no one else volunteered, but still. Its the thought that counts."

"True, true. Wow, these pancakes are wonderful, Jim. I forgot how good they were."

"Thanks, Mel. I don't have to be at work until later this afternoon, if you want to do lunch or something. Call Delia and tell her to open the shop."

"Well..." she laughed at her husband's puppy dog face. "Alright, I'll call Delia; I'm sure she won't mind. Besides, she owes me one for the last time I took her shift."

"Great! Well, I'm going to go shower and get dressed. Give me twenty minutes, OK?"

"Yeah, fine."

Jim left the kitchen and hurried up to shower.

"Sure, leave me to do the cleanup!" Melinda called after him. She heard him laugh.

After calling Delia and cleaning up, she went upstairs to see if Jim was ready. Before she reached their room, she heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it, Jim!"

"Alright, honey!"

She rushed downstairs, but when she opened the door there was no one there.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

There was no answer.

"If this is a prank, try something that's more interesting, ringing the doorbell is a dumb way to scare people. Especially during the day!" she called.

Melinda closed the door and turned to see Jim standing behind her.

"Who was it?"

"I think it was some kid attempting to pull a prank," she replied.

"Oh, well, they should probably try it at night, its not very scary during the day," he said.

"That's what I said. Well, are you ready to go?"

"Let me just grab my coat and we can go."

As Melinda and Jim left the house, a figure stood behind a bush. He watched as the couple laughed at an old joke. Anger rose within him, for she is deceiving herself with her supposed love for Jim. When their car turned down the next street Shane stepped out.

_When she sees that he doesn't love her, she will know that it was all a ploy. He doesn't want her and never will, _he thought. _And that's when I step in._

He stooped down and picked up a package wrapped in plain brown paper. He placed it on the doorstep, then walked away whistling a merry tune.

_So, how did you like it? There's more to come, so keep reading! And don't forget to review!_

_Next chapter: The Warning Sign_

_Summary of the Warning Sign:_

_Melinda opens the package and finds a confusing and random object. _


	3. The Warning Sign

I do not own Ghost Whisperer, or any of its characters.

_Hello again!_

_Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming! :)_

_Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, I tried to make it more interesting, so if its not, let me know._

_Well, sit back and enjoy Melinda's confusion!_

The Warning Sign

After a walk through the square, Melinda went to the shop to see if Delia was alright while Jim went to the station to grab some things.

"Hey Delia!" she said as she walked through the door.

"Mel, I thought you and Jim were going to lunch," Delia said, a little surprised to see her friend at work.

"We are, but he needed to stop at the station for something. He's going to meet me here," Melinda replied.

"If you want, you can take the day off, I don't mind working all day."

"Well, Jim is working today, but not until later. I can come in when he goes back..." Melinda looked at her friend's face and smiled. "Oh, alright, I'll take the day off."

Delia smiled. She needs a day off, she thought. I wish she would see to herself more often. She needs the time to regroup. She turned back to the paperwork she was looking through while Melinda checked on some things downstairs.

"Have you seen that box full of old china? I couldn't find it," Melinda asked as she came back upstairs.

"No, why?"

"Well, I can't seem to find it. I was kind of hoping to put that out on display tomorrow," she replied.

"Really? It should be down there. Last I saw the box was on the white table," Delia said, confused.

"That's where I last saw it, too. Now its not there."

"Mel, that's the second item that's gone missing this week."

"I know, who could be taking it, no one could go down there with us here. And the alarm would sound if anyone tried to break in."

"Someone could be dismantling the alarm, but who would be so desperate to break into an antique shop?" Delia asked her.

"And we would know if its been tampered with," Melinda replied. "Weird, well, if anything else goes missing, we may have to report it."

"Alright. Hey, Jim's here!"

Melinda turned to see Jim enter the store with a smile on his face.

"Did you get what you needed from the station?"

"Yes, I did. Are you ready for lunch?"

Melinda nodded. She turned to Delia.

"If you see those items, will you let me know? I would rather not call the police."

"Of course, Mel. Now go eat lunch with your husband," her friend replied.

Jim wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, and together they left the store. Delia smiled to herself as she watched them leave.

_Their such a happy couple. I wish that nothing comes in their way of living together._ She paused for a moment, frowning to herself. _What is this weird feeling? _She glanced at a picture of Melinda and Jim dancing at their wedding. _What's going on? Its as if something is trying to tell me something. Or someone._

Delia didn't know it, but a little boy was standing beside her, shouting.

"Do something! He's going to come and ruin everything for them! Don't let him take her away!"

However, Delia just brushed it off, thinking she's just being silly. Little did she know that soon she would wish that she had listened to that feeling and warned her friends to be cautious.

**Meanwhile...**

Jim and Melinda were on their way to a Mexican restaurant for lunch; it was a local place, just outside of town.

"We've never been here, I wonder if it's good," Jim said.

"Everyone's been telling me its awesome. They said that the guacamole is superb," Melinda replied.

"We'll have to order some then," he said.

Upon arriving at El Café de Sol and after being seated, Melinda noticed something interesting.

"Honey, have you noticed that black van outside in the parking lot?"

"No, why?"

"Well, it looks like the same van that was parked across from our house last night," she told him.

"Really? I didn't notice any black van..."

"No, it was before you came in. It looks so familiar, but I can't seem to recall where I have seen it."

"Aw, sweetie, don't worry. Its probably just a group of tourists who are traveling together."

"Yeah, OK, but why would tourists be in our neighborhood at ten at night?"

"They were probably lost. Oh! Our waitress is coming, do you know what you want?"

Melinda dropped the subject, but there was this weird feeling that she couldn't get rid of. When her husband went to the restroom, she pondered what this meant.

_Does it have to do with the boy?_ She asked herself. _I wonder what he wants. Maybe its his parents' van. But why would they park across from our house? Hmm..._

**After Lunch...**

On their way home, Melinda noticed the black van behind them, with a few cars in between. Hoping that Jim won't brush it off this time, she asked if he saw it.

"Not until now. Melinda, honey, relax. I'm sure their just going back to the hotel," her husband said.

After looking at his wife's skeptical expression, he sighed. "If they follow us to our neighborhood, I will check it out. Will that suffice?"

She smiled.

"For now," Melinda said sweetly.

**That Night...**

Jim had left for work, and Melinda was home alone, reading. The book was_ Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister _and she just couldn't stop reading. Then the doorbell rang, startling her. She reluctantly put her book down, and went to the front door.

"Who is it?" she called before opening the door.

No answer.

"Hello?" she said.

She looked out the window and saw nothing. Sighing, she opened the door and called out, "if this is another prank, try something different, it isn't working!" She stepped out of the door for a moment, when her foot hit something. She looked down and saw an unmarked package.

"That's weird. Who would leave a package this late at night?" she said aloud. "And its really light."

Melinda brought the package inside to the kitchen and set it on the table. She turned it over until she saw two words: MELINDA GORDON. "Hmm..." Grabbing scissors, Melinda cut the wrapping and tore it off. It was just a plain box that said: "OPEN ME." At this point, her curiosity got the best of her, so she took a deep breath and opened it.

All that was inside was an empty photo album.

"That's weird..." she mused. "Who sent this, I wonder."

"Hey, honey! I'm home!" Jim called as he opened the door.

Quickly, she gathered all the wrapping, stuffed it in the box and shoved it all in an empty cupboard. Then she hid the album in a drawer.

"Hi, Jim. What are you doing home so early?"

"Oh that's a nice way to greet your husband," he joked.

"Sorry, I just thought you would be later. You know, since you went in late today," Melinda said.

"Oh, there were too many people on duty, so they sent me and John home."

"Well, I'm not going to complain," she said sweetly.

"Good..."

Jim slipped his arm around his wife's waist and pulled her close to him. She smiled and hugged him, while he nuzzled her neck.

"You know, it's getting lat-" Melinda said quietly.

Without one word, he slipped his other arm underneath her legs and picked her up. Melinda laughed, and snuggled close to her husband. Jim carried her upstairs and laid her gently on the bed. Still laughing, she pulled him on top of her and kissed him deeply.

Melinda would remember that night always, for it was the last night of complete bliss that she and her husband would share together.

Outside in the dark, Shane stood looking at the house. He smiled, and said quietly, "Tomorrow..."

_So...how did you like this chapter? I hope it was more "exciting". _

_I put Delia's thoughts in this chapter, because she's not a major, major character in the show, so I figured I would give her a little more time to express herself. Besides, she's such a bubbly person._

_The next chapter is called:_

_A Rose & A Love Letter_

_Summary of A Rose & A Letter:_

_Melinda receives a chest at her store._


	4. A Rose & A Love Letter

_I do not own Ghost Whisperer or any of the characters involved with the show._

_I hope that you all like this particular chapter, because this is when it gets really exciting/creepy._

_Thanks for all the reviews and please sit back and enjoy the newest chapter of **Nowhere to Hide.**_

A Rose & A Love Letter

As the sun shone through their bedroom window, Melinda and Jim reluctantly agreed it was time to get out of bed. After showering and getting dressed, Melinda met her husband downstairs in the kitchen.

"How long are you on today?" she asked as she entered the room.

"Just for a few hours. Although I'm on call for the rest of the day," Jim replied.

"Alright, well, Delia's coming in late today since she worked all day yesterday. I think she and Ned are going to look at some school this morning anyway."

"OK, well, I'll stop by this afternoon to fix those lights in the basement. And maybe we can go to an early dinner?"

"Yeah, if Delia doesn't mind closing again, sure."

Jim finished his coffee and toast, then kissed his wife goodbye.

"I'll see you around 4:00 then,"

"Alright, honey, see you around 4:00," she said and gave him a final kiss.

As Melinda drove out of her driveway, she saw the black van again. It was parked two houses down from where she was.

_Who could be following me?_ She asked herself. _I've seen that van before, but where?_

Instead of going the usual route to work, she took a detour, going outside and around town. Making sure that the van wasn't behind her, she finally drove to the square and parked outside of the shop.

_Who could that be?_ She asked again. _Does it have to do with that boy who's following his parents? If its his parents...but how could they know that I speak to the dead? I've only told those who need to be told, and I've never talked to them again anyway. _

She looked at the clock and decided that it was time to open the store.

Time passed slowly, even though she was busy with customers half the time. But during that entire time, Melinda kept her thoughts about the black van in the back of her mind. Whenever she was alone, she would contemplate what this meant. During a particularly slow period, she searched online for any recent children's deaths, but no luck. By this time it was 1:00 and she was ready for a break. As if she had heard her, Delia entered the back room where Melinda was going through new items.

"Hey you! Has it been busy?" she asked Melinda.

"Mostly, although there have been some really slow periods, too. You know, there's only so much you can do when you own your own store," Melinda replied.

"Yeah, I figured you would get a little bored. I tried to hurry back, but Ned wanted to stop at a gas station for some food and drinks."

"No, your fine, Delia. Anyway, do you mind closing again? Jim wants to go out for an early dinner."

Delia chuckled.

"What's funny about an early dinner?" Melinda demanded.

"Nothing, its just so cute the way you two act," Delia said. "It reminds me of those elderly couples who walk down the street holding hands."

Melinda laughed. "I know! Jim's mother said the same thing. The funny part is that we've only been married a couple years."

"Hello? Is anyone here?" a man's voice called.

"Oh! Yes, I'll be right with you!" Delia called back. "You finish sorting these and I'll go help him," she told her friend.

Melinda turned back to the large boxes in front of her and sighed. _Why can't I be like Sabrina and just zap these all into order?_ She thought with a chuckle.

"Melinda, there's something here for you! Looks like another chest full of stuff that someone wants to get rid of," she heard Delia call.

Placing a glass vase gently on the table, she went out to the floor to see what was sent to her.

"Wow, that's a pretty big chest. Is it heavy?" she asked.

"No, the mailman set it down with ease. Do you want to go through it now or wait until you're done with that other box?"

"No, let's bring it out back and then we'll go through it tomorrow. I've had enough dust in my lungs to last me a lifetime. I don't need anymore."

"Fine by me."

After putting the chest underneath the table, Melinda and Delia began setting out the spring decorations. That took them about an hour since there was only so much to hang around and very little customers in between. After, Melinda went on a much needed break.

"I'll be back soon. I'm just going to get some coffee and take a little walk around the square," she said. "Do you want anything while I'm out?"

"No, I'm fine. Ned and I had too much to drink at lunch. And take your time, Melinda. You've been here all morning," Delia replied.

As she was leaving the store, Melinda searched for any sign of the black van. Satisfied that it wasn't near, she started on her walk.

By the time she got back it was 3:45. Delia was busy with a customer, so she went to the back room to finish sorting through the new items. It hadn't even been 10 minutes when she heard her husband's voice talking to Delia.

"She's out back."

"Hey, honey. Are you ready for dinner?" Jim asked as he walked into the room.

"Yes, actually I am. I've had enough sorting for the day," Melinda replied. "But don't you want to fix the lights?"

Jim walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She laughed as he kissed her.

"That can wait. Its not that big of a problem, is it?"

"No..."

"Alright, then let's get going. Traditions is good, do you want to go there?"

"Anywhere, as long as its not here," she said.

Jim laughed.

"That long today, huh?

She just nodded and finished putting away the candle holders she was holding.

"You know, I'm just going to call them and make sure that they some empty tables. I'll be right back."

"Fine with me. I just need to find those wine glasses that someone brought in. I'll be out in a minute."

After searching for a few minutes, Melinda called out to Delia.

"Delia, those wine glasses that Sarah brought in a few days ago, have you seen them?"

"No, I haven't," Delia replied.

"Oh! Not again!"

"What do you mean, 'not again'?" Jim asked as he came into the room, followed by Delia.

"This is third time this week that something has gone missing!" she told her husband.

"Really? Why didn't you mention this before?"

"I guess it just slipped my mind."

"Well, you guys go out and I'll call the police. I'll also start recording what's missing and how much," Delia said.

"Are you sure?" Melinda asked.

"I'm sure. Go eat and don't come back until tomorrow morning. If I need anything, I'll call you, OK?"

"Thanks, Delia. Are you ready, honey? I don't mean to be pushy, but if we want a table at Traditions, we should probably leave now," Jim said.

"Oh, fine," his wife said reluctantly. Jim chuckled and guided her out of the store.

"Try their chocolate lasagna while your there! Its delicious!" Delia called after them. They just laughed.

**That night..**

They were settling into bed when Melinda remembered the album that was sent to her. Kissing her husband goodnight, she waited until he fell asleep and then quietly went downstairs to get it.

_Who would send me an empty photo album, _she thought as she turned it over. T_here must be a reason. But what could it be? What if that boy has something to do with it? He seems harmless, but what is he trying to tell me?_

After spending an hour or so thinking about the recent events that have occurred, Melinda finally went to bed, exhausted. But before she fell asleep, she remembered where she had seen the black van.

_It was 8 months ago, _she thought. _8 months ago when..._

**The next day at work...**

Delia had finally finished setting out the new display when Melinda finally arrived.

"Hey, did you have a nice lunch with Rick?" she asked.

"Yeah, but he wouldn't stop talking about that new game show that he's obsessed with," Melinda said.

"What game show?"

"Oh, I don't remember. I tuned him out after 15 minutes," Melinda replied with a grin.

"Well, that was nice, Mel."

Melinda chuckled. "What? He wouldn't stop."

"Alright, alright. Oh! I finished the display. How do you like it?"

"It looks good, Delia. Well, I'm going to start sorting through that chest that was dropped off. Let me know if you need any help out here, OK?"

"I will."

Melinda went to the back room and took off her sweater. _Wow, it feels like there's nothing in here,_ she thought as she lifted the chest on to the table. Opening it, she found two vanilla envelopes labeled #1 and #2. #1 was bulkier and heavier.

"Hmm..."

Taking the one marked #1 she undid the flap and pulled out at least 60 white envelopes. Each one had a date.

"This is weird," she said aloud.

The first was dated September 12, 2007.

"These aren't antiques!"

The second was dated September 28, 2007.

Organizing them by date, she counted 81 all together. The most recent was April 30, 2008.

"That was two days ago."

With shaking hands, Melinda opened it and read:

Dearest Melinda,

Ah! It feels so good to be free of all charges! I have missed you so, my love!

These past months have been torture, for I have been unable to return to Grandview until recently.

I have longed to see you and have thought about you every day since we last met.

I hope you have done the same, for I'm sure this separation has been difficult for you as it has been-

She stopped reading. Without another thought she tore the second vanilla envelope open and gasped. Pictures of herself poured out on the table. All had a rose engraved in the bottom right hand corner. The pictures showed her doing daily activities: from grocery shopping and cleaning the house to working and eating at restaurants. One in particular caught her eye; it was taken at a restaurant, a Mexican restaurant. It showed her sitting alone at El Café de Sol. She looked deep in thought.

"No," she whispered. "No! This can't be happening!" Melinda cried.

"Mel?" Delia asked as she entered the room. "Melinda, are you alright? You look unusually pale."

She just pointed; Delia walked over to the table and looked at the contents spread out. She picked up the opened letter and quickly scanned it. Frowning, she looked at the pictures scattered everywhere. She gasped and turned to her friend who was shaking uncontrollably.

"Who took these?"

Melinda couldn't speak so Delia read the signature at the bottom of the page.

"He's back," she said quietly.

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. In my opinion, this is one of my best that I have written so far, mostly because this is where it gets real good. I hope that you agree with me! I know its longer, but its worth it. It took me a while to figure out how Melinda should react and how the chapter should end...eventually, after what seemed like an endless migraine, it came to me. BTW, the migraine was not because I was thinking too hard; it was for other random reasons. _

_Anyway, don't forget to review! And this is where the "fun" part begins! :)_

_The next chapter is called:_

_The Return_

_Summary of The Return:_

_Melinda receives a visit._


	5. The Return Pt One

_I do not own GW or any of its characters_

Thank you, all, for the reviews! For those who have been reading this since the beginning, thanks for sticking with me! It really helps when you have faithful readers; it gives you more energy to write.

I decided to change this chapter from what I had originally planned. If you can recall I had said in the summary of the previous chapter that Melinda receives a visit. That chapter will be after the following two chapters. If this is something that you don't agree with, then I apologize.

This chapter is from Shane's POV. I figured that he should have a chapter of his own. I don't think this will be a problem for anyone, but if it is, please let me know.

Well, enjoy and happy reading!

The Return Pt. One

_Just watching her open those envelopes was priceless. Melinda only reacted that way because she's in shock. She gave up after so many months of me being gone, that this is such a surprise. Once the shock has worn off, she'll come willingly with me to Europe._

_Just look at her! So beautiful, so passionate! Once that ungrateful husband of hers is out of the picture, she'll be so happy. She thinks she loves him, but she doesn't. Once she sees how I'll treat her, how I'll dote on her every day and every night, she'll leave him in an instant. No one should stay with someone who doesn't appreciate them. That's Melinda's case; she's staying with him and yet he doesn't appreciate her. She needs to see that. And I can help her._

_Good, their leaving. I'll switch cameras then. Too bad I don't have a camera for their car. It would be interesting to hear what they are taking about. Its probably all arguments, though. But that could be interesting in itself._

_Where's my water bottle? Damn. Its in the front seat. I'm too lazy to get it. Aw, my chips are up there too. Fine, I'll get up._

_Oh look. Their home. Good. Aw, look. Melinda's still white as a ghost. She must still be surprised. I wonder when it will wear off. Great, the speakers aren't working. Where's that switch...there it is. And she's going upstairs to shower. What's Jim doing? Oh, making tea. That's stupid._

_He looks deep in thought. I wonder what he's thinking. It must not be good if he's that concentrated. Looks like Melinda's done showering. She's not as white as she was. It must be because she's beginning to realize what me being back means to her. Good, she's putting on her black nightgown. Soon, she'll see that we can be together. With no obstacles._

"How was your shower?" Jim asks her as she enters the kitchen.

"It was nice. I needed it."

"Here's some tea. Let's go sit down on the couch."

_He thinks he can just put his arm around her?! Like she's his property and not his wife...that...just calm down, Shane. A little longer and you'll be able to do that. Relax. Deep breathe. That's it._

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner, Mel?" Jim was saying.

"I don't know. I guess I thought it had to do with the boy. Remember, that ghost?"

"Yes. But how does that fit in?"

"I don't know. I tried figuring it out. I guess I was way off."

Jim chuckles a little.

_Ha! He thinks this is a laughing matter. Well guess what? Its not. You'll see how serious this is soon enough._

"I'll leave it up to you, Mel, but I think you should stay home. I work until 5 tomorrow, so it won't be that long but I'll feel safer if you have Rick or Delia with you, too."

_He thinks he can control her every move!_

"No, I agree. I'll see if one of them would be willing to come over."

_She's only saying that because she doesn't want him to get angry,_

"Good, I was hoping you would say that. How about we go to bed early? Your not hungry, are you?"

Melinda shakes her head. "No, I'm not. A nice warm bed sounds really nice right now though."

"Alright."

_Get some sleep, Jim. You'll need it. Well, I guess I better go home and see if Jessie is doing anything productive. I wish it didn't take an hour to get there, but he was so desperate for companionship; it was so easy talking him into letting me stay. _

........

_Now I can start packing all this stuff that's needed at the villa._

"Jessie, I'm back!"

"I thought you wouldn't be home until later," Jessie calls from inside.

"They went to bed early and I'd rather not see Jim snore next to the love of my life," I tell him.

"She's the love of your life, now? That's a new one," he laughs.

"Funny. Will you help me with this?"

"I guess..."

I glare at him. _He's lucky I don't throw him out._

"Fine, fine. God, what is in here?"

"All the things that I stole from Melinda's."

"Oh. So when are you leaving for Europe?"

_I just told you that this morning, idiot!_

"Next week. But until then, I need you to do me one more favor."

"Depends on what it is..."

I glare at him again. He just nods.

"I need you to deliver this letter to Laura again. She'll know what to do with it." I hand him an envelope.

"Alright, whatever you say."

_What is wrong with this guy? He's looking at me like I'm keeping something from him. Technically I am, but I'm surprised that he's just starting to figuring it out. _

"What?"

"Um, where in Europe are you going?"

"Why do you ask?" I ask suspiciously.

"I'd like to keep in touch with the two of you. And maybe come out to visit you and Melinda."

I just look at him. "Why do you want to keep in touch? Your always complaining on how badly your treated by me."

"I don't complain _that_ much, do I? I just want to get to know you better and Melinda too."

"Tough luck. I'm not telling anyone but Melinda where we're going."

_Wait a minute, is it...?_

"Is it because I showed you that picture of her that you want to get to know her?" I'm still suspicious.

"She is beautiful, but I was thinking that we could become a little fam-"

I cut him off. "No way in Hell, Jessie. She wouldn't be interested in you. Remember? She loves me."

"But if she's still-"

I shake my head. "She doesn't realize that her husband doesn't care for her. Look, its getting darker out, and I don't feel like talking about this anymore. I said no, just leave it at that. Now go inside and get dinner ready. I'm hungry."

_He's so clueless. He doesn't have any idea that he's going to die within the next week. Its probably a good thing. He's so stupid; no wonder he dropped out of high school. Besides, I'd be doing the world a favor. Well, best go inside and pack all this up. She'll need it all when we get to Italy._

_That villa I bought is beautiful. She'll love it. And the gilded mirror will go perfectly in our bedroom. I don't know if she'll dine on the china, she may want to display in the glass cupboard that I took from her basement. I guess we'll see. I'm so glad that the bed came with the villa. Most of the furniture did anyway, which is good because it saves me money and time._

_What's he making? Whatever it is, it smells good. I guess that's the only thing Jessie's good at: cooking. He makes really good chicken parm. _

_Where's the candlesticks? Did I leave them...? Great. I did. Well, I'll go back and get them tomorrow._

"Dinner's ready, Shane. I made turkey soup," Jessie calls.

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute," I yell.

_Well, I'll leave all this for later. Packing it all will be a pain. She's lucky I love her so much. _

So...how did you like it? It was fun to write, because I had to go into the mind of a creepy stalker, but at the same time it was really tricky. No one really knows what goes on inside stalkers heads. I don't think

many people want to know, anyway.

Well, keep the reviews coming!

The next chapter is called:

_The Return Pt. Two_

Summary of _The Return Pt. Two:_

Melinda's POV


	6. The Return Pt Two

I do not own GW or any characters involved.

I'm sorry that it took me longer than usual to update! I've been busy with work and trying to get a ton of stuff done. But here it is!

Thanks to everyone for the reviews! I appreciate it! I hope that you all like this chapter; its from Melinda's POV.

Anyway, enjoy!

The Return Pt. Two

_No. No. No! This isn't happening! He's not back. He's not back...oh my God, he is back. Someone's talking. He is back. And he's been watching me all these months. Those pictures, those letters, he's been planning this ever since his case closed. Maybe even before then. How long has he been watching me?_

"Mel, honey? Jim's on his way. He'll be here soon. Melinda?"

"Melinda!"

"That's Jim, Mel. Jim! We're in the back room."

Someone's touching my arm but I'm not seeing them. I hear voices, but I'm not hearing anything.

_He's supposed to be in prison. Especially after all those identities that he stole, the judge should have sentenced him to at least 10 or 20 years in prison. _

"Its Shane, Jim."

"I know. Look at all these pictures! Some of these are from months ago. He's been watching her for months. But how could he have taken all these photos without us seeing him?"

"I don't know."

I still don't hear them. Its like there's a veil or something between us, me on one side, they on another.

"Mel, honey?"

_That's Jim._

"Melinda? I'm going to take you home, right now. Delia can close the shop and drop these...off at the police station. She'll notify Detective Campbell and he'll call us as soon as he can."

_Jim._

"Delia, you wouldn't mind doing that, would you?"

_Jim._

"No, that's fine."

"Melinda, can you walk?"

_Jim. He's here._

Slowly, I come back to the present. I just nod.

"OK, good. Let's go out to the car."

I stand up and put my hand in Jim's.

"Delia?"

"I'll be fine, I promise. Be safe."

"We will."

He's leading me out to the car. I hesitate as he opens the door.

"What's wrong?"

I shake me head. "Nothing," I mutter. I get into the car and buckle in.

_I can't believe that he's back. How is that possible? I mean, the evidence was all valid and there was too much of it to ignore. So why isn't he locked up? _

We're silent on the way home. This is the first time that we've been quiet in the car.

_This is serious. I hope Detective Campbell is in town. He'll know what to do. I'm glad that he stayed with Colleen, or else I would be alone. I can't last long if Shane's going to continue like this and Campbell is the only one who knows Shane's true character. I wonder if he even knows that Shane's loose. He was on the case after all._

"We're home," Jim says. I barely hear him I'm so lost on my thoughts.

"Are you coming inside or are you just going to stay out here?" he jokes.

_A little humor is always nice, especially in the most depressing circumstances. _

"I'm going to go shower. Would you mind getting some tea ready?" I ask.

"Not at all. Take your time."

He looks at me and I smile a little. He smiles back.

"Your OK?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Still a little surprised though."

He just nods.

He unlocks the door and I go upstairs to shower.

_I need a long, hot shower. I'm so uptight._

I turn the faucet on and undress. I stand underneath the shower head for what seems like an eternity, just thinking about what Shane's return means.

I turn it off and step out.

_Wait! If he's been taking pictures of me all this time, then there must be a camera in the house. Or more, since there are pictures from every room. And in the store! But how did he get in? No. He can't be so obsessed to break in. But those pictures..._

I go downstairs after changing into my black nightgown.

"How was your shower?" Jim asks as I enter the kitchen.

"It was nice. I needed it," I tell him.

"Here's some tea. Let's go sit down on the couch."

I nod and take two mugs out from the cupboard. Jim pours the tea in and we both head into the other room and sit down on the couch. I cuddle up next to him and he puts his arm around me, protectively.

"I should have known," I say quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, within the past few days I've received a note and a package from an anonymous person. The note just had this weird poem on it. The package just had an empty photo album."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner, Mel?"

"I don't know. I guess I thought it had to do with the boy. Remember, that ghost?"

"Yes. But how does that fit in?"

"I don't know. I tried figuring it out. I guess I was way off."

He chuckles a little. Then he gets serious again.

"I'll leave it up to you, Mel, but I think you should stay home. I work until 5 tomorrow, so it won't be that long but I'll feel safer if you have Rick or Delia with you, too."

"No, I agree. I'll see if one of them would be willing to come over."

"Good, I was hoping you would say that. How about we go to bed early? Your not hungry, are you?"

Melinda shakes her head. "No, I'm not. A nice warm bed sounds really nice right now though."

"Alright."

We put the mugs in the sink and head upstairs to the bedroom. I snuggle up close to him as he puts his arm around my waist.

What's going to happen now? I wonder.

**The following day...**

_Campbell is coming over around 1:00 and Delia will be here around 10:00. Until she gets here, I'm going to stay in bed and read. _

......

_Damn, I finished it. Oh! The doorbell's ringing. It must be Delia. _

"Delia, hi. Thanks for doing this."

"Its not a problem. Besides, I think we both need a break from the store."

I nod and say "I'm going to go shower. If you want, you can sit and read or something. You should try reading this, I just finished it. Its really good."

"_Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister._ Looks interesting. I'll try it."

_After I'm done showering, I'll call Jim. He's so funny, wanting me to call him every two hours. I understand though, I would say the same thing if I were him. _

"Mel? Someone's at the door! Do you want me to get it?" Delia says.

"Yeah, I'll be right down!"

"Hi. Can I help you?" I hear her say.

"I'm here to deliver this to Melinda Gordon."

_No!_

"Who is it from?"

"It is from he who loves her the most."

"I'll make sure she gets it."

"Thank you."

"What did he send?" I ask as I come down the stairs.

"Just a note. What do you want me to do with it?"

"Nothing. We'll give it to Campbell when he gets here. For now, put it in the drawer with the album. I don't want to see it out."

"OK. So what should we do?"

"Personally, all I want to do is sit and relax."

"That's fine. Its almost 11:30, are you hungry? I could make something up."

"No, I'm fine. If you want something, the kitchen is yours."

She laughs, then goes into the kitchen. I hear her get some things out from the cupboard and turn on the microwave.

_I wonder if there are cameras in the house. But how could he get in? Wait, the last time he got in was the window..._

"Delia!"

She runs is with a spatula in her hand.

"What's wrong?"

"If he's been taking pictures all this time, there must be cameras in the house..."

She looks worried.

"And if there are cameras..."

"We'll start looking."

She goes into the kitchen and turns off the stove. Together, we search the entire house for anything that could mean he entered the house.

"I found one!" I yell.

"Where?"

"In the living room! Its on top of the glass cupboard." I pull it down.

"Where's the off switch?" I ask as I hand it to her.

She looks at it, turning it over in her hands.

"I don't know," she says.

"Well, we'll put a cover over it and wait until Jim gets home. Maybe he can figure it out. Let's keep looking. There has to be more."

"OK."

Over the next couple hours, we find cameras in every room except the spare bedroom. There's 6 in all.

"Well, just don't go into the spare bedroom until we find a camera in there."

"Fine with me."

The doorbell rings, startling both of us.

"I'll get it, Mel. You stay up here."

I look at her, and she just chuckles.

_I'm so glad that we found those cameras. I'm glad that I thought about it too. Now we know how he took those pictures from all those angles._

I sigh.

_I wish it were someone else he was stalking...but if it were someone else, they might not have the same support I have. They might be like Colleen, whose family and friends abandoned her. So I guess in a sick way its good that he's stalking me. Because I'm probably one of the only people who can put him behind bars. What's taking Delia so long? _

"Melinda? You can come down now!"

_Finally!_

I go downstairs and into the kitchen.

"I'm in the living room, Mel."

"And? I'm making some tea. You want some? Oh! And who was at the door?"

A pause.

"No, I'm fine. Can you help me with this table for a second, though?

"What table?"

No answer.

"Delia, why do you need help with the table?" I say as I turn on the stove.

No answer.

"Delia?" I ask as I go into the living room. "Who was at the-" I gasp.

_Don't you just love cliffhangers? Their so much fun! :P So, how did you like it? This chapter was really hard because I couldn't think of how to portray Melinda. But it was worth writing it. Anyway, keep the reviews coming! I appreciate them! :)_

_The next chapter is called:_

_A Visit_

_Summary of The Visit:_

_Someone comes to see Melinda. _


	7. The Visit

I do not own Ghost Whisperer or any of the original characters. Just the plot and the characters that I made up.

_Hello, all! Just a heads up, I may not be updating for the next couple weeks due to the holidays. Plus, I have another job now so I will have less time to write. I wish it wasn't so, but I do need the extra money. Ugh, paying for rent and bills by yourself can be frustrating sometimes._

_Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter. And don't forget to review at the end!_

The Visit

Jim stood outside an exam room in the hospital watching the mother of a car accident victim receive news.

"I'm sorry, ma'am but I don't think he will survive the night. We'll keep trying, but there's little we can do at this stage."

The woman had tears streaming down her face and when she spoke her voice shook.

"I understand. Will he know who I am?"

The doctor remained silent. The look he gave her was pure sympathy; that was when she broke down and almost collapsed. He looked at Jim, who just nodded.

"Jim!"

Jim turned to see Rick Payne running towards him. The look on his face told him all that he needed to know.

"Where is she?" he asked sharply.

"An unknown man forced his way inside and is holding Melinda and Delia inside as hostages. I was on my way over to check in when I saw about 7 police cars outside your house. Campbell filled me in. I guess he had just arrived when he saw the guy force Delia aside to let him in."

"Wait. You said 'an unknown man'. Its not Shane?"

"No, its not Shane. Campbell thinks that its just a loner working entirely by himself. Now come on, we better get going. Melinda and Delia need us."

Jim nodded and followed Rick out the door.

**Meanwhile...**

"Why are you doing this? We have done nothing against you! I've never even seen you in my life." Melinda asked the intruder.

She and Delia were being held at gunpoint. Both sat nervously on the couch, waiting for someone to come and rescue them.

"Shut up!" the man yelled at her.

She flinched at the force of his words.

"You have done something to me, Melinda. You have done something that I can never forget."

"And what is that?" she asked quietly. She was afraid that if she spoke too loudly, he would do something to her or Delia.

"Never mind that. Now shut up and sit still."

"Can you at least tell us your name? So we don't have to call you 'that guy'?" Delia asked.

"You can call me Jessie."

Just then, they heard a shout from the outside.

_That sounds like Jim!_ Melinda thought. _Someone must have told him what's going on. Thank God! _

She looked at Delia, who was thinking the same thing. Melinda nodded and Delia smiled sightly.

"Dammit! There are cops all around the house," Jessie muttered to himself.

"Well, that's what they normally do in hostage situations," Melinda said without thinking.

Jessie turned around and slapped her, but not too hard. She gave a little cry and put her hand to her cheek. It wasn't the pain that hurt, it was the shock that he actually stuck her. Delia made a move to put her arm around Melinda, but the look from Jessie stopped her.

"Shut up! I'll do the thinking here."

Still a little surprised at his outburst towards Melinda, the two women remained silent. Jessie started to pace the living room.

_He should be here by now. What's taking him so long? He promised that he would be here and not leave me alone. _He glanced at Melinda who pretended not to notice. _I wonder what she's thinking. He said that her husband would try to rescue her, and if he came into the house, I should shoot at him. But he's just waiting outside. Surely if he really loved Melinda he would break down the door...maybe he's right. He just wants to control her and doesn't really care about her._

**Outside****...**

"Are we just going to stand here and wait?!" Jim was practically yelling at the police chief.

"Jim, I know you want her to be safe. But you need to be patient. We're monitoring his every move. He hasn't hurt either your wife or Delia, but we can't guarantee their safety if we just barge in there," John said. _A little white lie doesn't hurt anyone. If Jim knew that he slapped Melinda, he would break down the door. And that's not the wisest move right now._

As the police were debating on whether to wait or force an entry, Jim saw a black van drive up the street.

_That must be the van that Melinda was talking about_, he thought.

"Jim!"

He turned to see Rick coming up with him, a worried expression on his face.

"That's Shane," he said quietly.

"What is _he_ doing here?!" Jim asked angrily.

"I don't know. Just stay here. I'll go find out. And don't do anything stupid," Rick said.

Jim watched Shane go over to John and start talking. He seemed calm and composed, as if he knew something that they didn't. Rick listened from a distance. His face changed from confusion to anger. John nodded. Then Shane calmly walked up the driveway and knocked on the door.

"What the hell is going on?!" Jim shouted. "That man is _stalking_ my wife! And your letting him in?! He could have planned this whole thing!"

Two policemen came up and stood in his way.

"Jim, he's our only hope right now. If you want to see your wife alive, then you must trust us," one of them said.

"I do trust you! The person who I don't trust is him! Don't let him into that house!"

But it was too late. The door opened and Shane entered the house.

**Inside...**

This was too easy, Shane thought as he walked into the living room.

"Where-" Jessie started to say but closed his mouth when he saw the look on Shane's face.

"The only reason I let you in is because you're the only one I trust," he said instead.

_Idiot._

"You have to let them go, Jessie. If you don't, well, I can't guarantee your safety."

"No! I won't! She has tormented me for years, and now you're telling me to let all that go? I will _not_!"

Both Melinda and Delia were lost in their own thoughts when they were interrupted by a loud outburst. Then a familiar voice was talking soothingly.

It can't be! Delia mouthed.

Melinda slowly peered into the entry way and her fears were confirmed. She just nodded and Delia sighed.

_What is going on? Why is Shane here? Is he in league with this guy?_

Shane walked into the room, followed by Jessie.

"I'm relieved to see your not hurt, Melinda," he said. "And Delia as well."

"What are you doing here, Shane?" Delia asked coldly.

"I'm here because I want to help you. Jessie is a very old friend of mine, and he needs some help. I'm here to try to convince him to let you girls go."

Delia remained silent. Melinda refused to even look at him.

_He's planned this all. I'm sure of it_, she thought.

"Jessie, you have to let them go. I can get you help once this is all over," Shane was saying.

"No! You won't help me. You've never helped me. You'll just side with those people outside and tell them to throw me in prison!"

"No, I won't. I'm a lawyer, remember. I am your friend. You've helped me before and now I want to help you," Shane replied patiently.

"I've helped you? That's what I'm always doing! Helping you! And now you claim to want to help me! You only help others when you see an advantage for yourself."

"That's not true. And you know that. Now...Jessie, you need to calm down."

"I'm perfectly calm!"

He was working himself into a rage; he was shaking all over and the veins in his temple were practically bulging.

"Jessie, why don't you put the gun down? I don't want you to hurt yourself. Here, give it to me."

He started to laugh, but it wasn't happy. He sounded like a crazed man, and he was beginning to play the part.

"Give you the gun? Give you the gun? I don't think so! You'll just turn it on me and kill me! That's what you've been planning all this time, haven't you Shane? You've been planning to kill me ever since we first met!"

Melinda and Delia were watching the scene with interest.

_I bet that's true,_ Melinda thought. _Jessie's right, though. Shane only helps those when he sees an advantage for himself. What is Shane planning anyway? _

She looked at Delia who nodded. She was thinking the same thing.

"Jessie, just give me the gun," Shane said, a note of worry in his voice.

"No, I won't!" Jessie paused. "I don't want to hurt you Shane. You've always been nice to me...well, sort of. You're the only friend I've ever had and I don't want to lose you. But I will kill you if you don't leave. I will let them go, but you have to leave first."

"How can I trust that you'll keep your word?"

"You'll just have to." Jessie shrugged.

Shane glanced at Melinda, then at Delia.

_This wasn't part of the plan, _he thought. _But I like it. _

"Alright. I'll go. But you promise to let them go, unharmed, after I leave?"

Jessie nodded. Delia noticed that his grip on the gun tightened.

_What is he going to do? _She asked herself.

She quickly reached out and touched Melinda's arm,who looked at her, questioningly. When she caught her eye, Delia pointed. Melinda followed her finger to the gun in Jessie's hand. He was holding it so tight that his hand was shaking slightly.

_No_, Melinda thought.

"I promise. Now get out."

Shane nodded. He gave a small smile to the women, and then exited out the front door.

_What the hell is going on?_ Delia thought.

"Now its just the three of us again," Jessie said as he came back in the room.

"How do you know Shane?" Melinda asked.

"That's none of your business," he snapped.

Then his expression softened. He looked at Melinda with love burning in his eyes.

"I hope you know that I have always loved you."

She watched him with disgust.

"What are you doing?" Delia asked hysterically.

Jessie raised the gun and pointed. He closed his eyes and smiled slightly. Then he pulled the trigger.

_I would like to thank Clara-JimelObsessed for her wonderful opinion on this chapter. It was much appreciated. So, thank you!_

_Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I just had to put a cliffhanger in; their so much fun! Anyway, I tried to give you a little glimpse of what Shane is planning. Can you guess what it is? I'll let you think about it and then you'll see if your guess is right in the next chapter. _

_Thanks again for reading, and please review!_

_The next chapter is called:_

_The Wheels Have Begun Turning_

_Summary of The Wheels Have Begun Turning:_

_The plan is in motion. What happens now?_


	8. The Wheels Have Begun Turning

I wish I owned Ghost Whisperer, but unfortunately, I do not. Therefore, the only things that belong to me is the plot and Jessie. And possibly a few other characters that I have made up for this particular fic.

Hello all!

Here is the (long-awaited) chapter of Nowhere to Hide. I apologize that it took so long to update, but I needed to get some stuff done, and by the time it was all over, I just wanted to sleep. Things have been so hectic lately, that I just haven't had time to do anything. Anyway, I really, really hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!

The Wheels Have Begun Turning

Jim and Rick stood outside the house, waiting. That's all they could do: wait. It seemed to Jim that instead of doing nothing, he should be doing something. But what?

_I wonder..._he thought.

"Rick. I need your help."

Rick looked at him curiously.

"I need to get inside. And I need you to distract the police for two minutes."

"That's crazy, Jim," Rick replied, seriously. Then he grinned. "But I like crazy."

Jim smiled slightly. "Knew I could count on you. Alright, all I need you to do is distract John and Bill."

"Not the chief?"

"No, he's busy trying to keep the reporters at bay."

"Question."

"What?"

"How are you going to get in?"

"There's a side door that is kind of hidden behind bushes. John can't see it from where he is standing and Bill is watching the reporters."

"Ah. OK. Well, be careful, and don't get shot. Melinda needs a husband, not a corpse."

Jim chuckled. "I will. And don't you get caught. Now you go first."

Rick nodded and lazily started to walk towards Bill. Jim watched him as he started talking in that familiar annoying tone that he was so good at. When both men were distracted, Jim began creeping towards the side of the house.

But just as he's turning to see if anyone has noticed what he's doing, the front door opens and Shane comes out.

His eyes search the front yard and they eventually lock with Jim's. He glares at Shane, who just smirks back.

"That little conniving-" He starts to say but is stopped when a restraining hand touches his shoulder.

"Wait. Let's see what he has to say," Rick whispers.

"Why should I? And besides, he could be lying."

"True. But I think we should wait. Then we can try again."

Shane had walked over to talk to the chief. He kept pointing at the house and making exaggerated hand gestures.

"I wonder what he's telling-"

Just as Rick started to talk, a gun sounded from inside the house followed by screams. The police reacted immediately. The men on the side of the house broke through the back door while the rest went in the front door.

"NO!" Jim shouted.

Jim ran inside, followed closely by Rick. What they saw was a relief.

The man lay on the floor, dead. Melinda and Delia were crying hysterically. Jim walked over to his wife, who started to cry harder at the sight of her husband. He sat down next to her and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

"Its OK. I'm here now. He's gone, and he can't come back," he said softly.

Melinda didn't reply.

"Unless...his ghost isn't here, is it?"

"No," Melinda managed to say.

Her sobs turned to sniffles, and then she was silent. She felt safe again. Even though there were over 20 people in the living room, it felt like they were the only two in the world alive. Her husband was here and everything will be OK now.

**The next day...**

Delia had stayed at home, saying that she needed some time to recuperate from yesterday's adventure. Melinda didn't mind. She and Jim were out taking their usual walk.

After walking around for a bit, they sat down on a bench in the sun.

"You know, when it seems like death is only an inch away, but then swiftly pulls back, one tends to value life much more than before," Melinda said.

Jim chuckled.

They sat together for some time in silence, watching people pass by and knowing that they were very lucky to survive yesterday's ordeals.

"Oh!" Melinda said suddenly.

"What?"

"What happened to Shane?"

"That's a good question. The last I saw of him was before I heard the gun go off. He seemed to have disappeared after everyone rushed in. He must be up to something," Jim said.

"Yes. But what could he be planning?"

"Don't fry your brain thinking about it. Just relax. I'll be around to protect you."

Melinda looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean 'I'll be around'?" she asked.

"The guys at the station told me that I could take some time off; they know about Shane. I'll still be paid, so we don't have to worry about money issues or anything." He smiled.

"Oh, that's great, Jim! I'll feel better knowing that your in the house with me."

"Good, I'm glad."

**Meanwhile...**

Delia was driving home from the grocery store when she noticed a black van at the end of a street.

_Is that Shane's van?_ She asked herself. _I wonder..._

She pulled over and turned the car off.

_Where is he? _

Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. Delia watched as Shane came out from a nearby building. It was a traveling agency.

_Where is he planning to go? _

She rolled down her window when she saw him answer his cell phone.

"What do you mean you can't do anything?!" He was saying. "You were supposed to get me and Mel a flight to Italy!"

_Italy?!_

"No, it can't wait. We have to leave soon before her husband or her so-called friends find out. So when is the next flight? Friday? No that's too far away."

Delia had heard enough. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she turned her car on. Shane was so busy with his phone call that he didn't hear her. Or so she thought.

**Later that day...**

Melinda and Jim were eating dinner when the phone rang. Giving Jim a quick look, she got up to answer it.

"Melinda. Oh thank God your there!"

"Delia, what's wrong? You sound worried."

"I tried to call you earlier but no one answered. Melinda, you _have_ to listen to me. Shane is planning to take you to Italy. I don't know when, but its some time this coming week."

"What?!"

"I will tell you the whole story later, but just don't go out. Don't go out without Jim or Rick. I have to go out of town for a while, but I'll be back. I promise. I have to go now, my flight is about to leave. But I love you. Bye Mel!"

"Delia wait!"

But it was too late. Delia was gone.

Melinda was genuinely disturbed.

"What's wrong, Mel?"

"Delia said that Shane is going to try to take me to Europe," she replied quietly.

"I doubt that. He has no money."

"I don't know." She paused. "Why do you think he came to help us when...when Jessie was here?"

"I'm not quite sure, to be quite honest. But I have this theory. I think that he set the whole thing up, because when I did a background search on Jessie, he didn't have any relatives close by. He had a roommate, who was listed as John Carson."

"That's Shane's last name."

"Yes. Jessie wasn't the smartest person in the world and he didn't have any friends. My guess is when Shane offered him 'friendship' he willingly accepted, whatever the consequences. Anyway, Shane probably tricked him into going to you and holding you hostage while Shane played the hero. He wanted you to thank him. He probably thought that since he rescued you, you would be in debt to him."

"But he didn't save me. And I wouldn't have gone to him anyway if he did."

"I know. And I think the plan didn't go as Shane had hoped, so that's why he left."

"Do you really think he would...kidnap me?"

"Not while I'm around," Jim replied softly.

Melinda smiled slightly.

"I'm not so hungry anymore," she said, changing the subject.

"Neither am I. I'll help you clean up though."

"Thanks."

Together, Melinda and Jim tried to make the evening as normal as they could. Both knew that until Shane is put away for good, they will have no peace in their lives. They tried to forget that outside, somewhere, someone was trying to ruin the love that they had created. But deep down, they knew that no matter what happened, their love will conquer whatever gets in their way.

**Meanwhile...**

Delia and Ned were waiting on the runway for their plane to take off.

"Mom, explain to me why we are going to France."

"I'll tell you the reason once we arrive, OK Ned? Right now, I need to relax."

"OK."

Ned was concerned. He came home from school to see his mother frantically packing his clothes into suitcases. It looked like she had been crying, too. He had asked her what she was doing, but she just told him to finish packing his clothes, and that they were going to France. Their plane was leaving at 6:00 that evening. Not wanting to upset her, Ned did as he was told. But he couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with Melinda and Shane.

It had everything to do with Melinda and Shane. Delia was remembering what had happened once she arrived home. She had unpacked all her groceries and was just about to call Melinda, when Shane broke into her house. He had cornered her, and threatened her.

"_I know that you heard my conversation on the phone today." he said. _

"_And?" _

"_I'll make a deal with you. If you leave the States, and don't tell Melinda what you heard, then you have no reason to fear me. If, however, you decide to warn Melinda, I will personally make sure that you and your son no longer exist."_

"_What do you mean, 'no longer exist'?" she asked fearfully._

"_I will erase all records of your existence," he said simply._

"_You don't have that power anymore."_

"_Oh, I do, although that's not your concern. Still, if you want to stay in existence than I suggest that you leave. Melinda will be well taken care of, so you have no reason to fear for her."_

"_I have every reason to fear for her!" Delia exclaimed._

"_That's up to you. Anyway, what are you going to do? Risk your life, and your son's, just to see everything fail? Or will you disappear for a while so you and Ned will be safe?"_

If I stay and warn Melinda...but then Ned and I may be in danger. But I could..._ Delia thought._

"_I'll leave. But on one condition."_

"_What's that?"_

"_When you and Melinda arrive in Italy, I want to resume contact with her."_

"_I see no harm in that. Its a deal."_

_Delia nodded. "Its a deal."_

"What about school, Mom?" Ned asked, interrupting Delia's thoughts.

"Oh, I already called. I told them that an emergency came up and that we needed to leave for a while."

"You lied to my school?"

"No, I didn't. Its the truth. I just didn't give them any details and they didn't ask."

"Does this have anything to do with Melinda and Shane?"

Delia paused, wondering if it was safe to tell him on the plane. Deciding against it, she just nodded.

"Will you promise to tell me when we arrive?"

"I promise. Now rest, Ned. This is a long flight."

Delia closed her eyes, wishing with all her might that this nightmare will end soon.

Shane stood on a hill watching a plane take off. He smiled.

_One down, two to go._

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to comment!_

Next Chapter:

_Two Down; One Left_

Summary of _Two Down; One Left:_

_Rick finds a note on his office doorstep and Jim slowly begins to uncover Shane's plan._


	9. Two Down One Left

I do not own GW although I would give anything to be as creative as that. OK, maybe not anything, but you get my point.

_Hey all!!! I am SO sorry it has taken me so long to update. Things have been so hectic around here lately, plus I have some family issues going on, so I've been trying to deal with them. In addition, I've been having MAJOR writer's block. So if this chapter seems short, that's the reason. You should have seen me, I was having so much trouble writing this; I've been working on it for almost 3 months. Again, I apologize for the unnaturally long delay._

_Anyway, here is the long awaited chapter. Enjoy!!!_

Two Down; One Left

Melinda was making dinner in the kitchen while Jim was setting the table for three. Rick was coming over for dinner; everyone wanted their lives to be as normal as possible, even if there was a crazy stalker watching the house constantly. Jim was humming to himself when all of a sudden he heard glass break and Melinda cry "damn!"

"Aw, honey. I'll clean it up," he said as he entered the kitchen.

"Thanks. I'm just going to put a band aid on this."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it, Mel."

Jim quickly finished picking the glass up, then went to see who was at the door.

"Hey, Jim," Rick said.

"Come in. Dinner is almost ready. Do you want a glass of wine or something."

"Sure. Thanks."

Rick followed him into the living room and made himself comfortable.

_How do I tell them what I found? I know they are trying to make things as normal as possible. I'll wait until its almost time to leave, then I'll tell them,_ Rick thought.

"Wow, you've made yourself quite comfortable, haven't you?" Melinda teased as she came into the room carrying three glasses.

"Yes, well, what can I say? This is my second home."

They both laughed. Jim came in and smiled, glad to see his wife laughing again.

"What are you two conspiring about?" he said jokingly.

"Its nothing..."

"Uh huh. Well, the ham is practically ready so if you want to go sit in the dining room..."

Rick practically jumped out of his seat in his rush to the table.

"Someone's excited!" Melinda laughed.

"I'm hungry, OK?" he said.

"Do you need any help?" Melinda asked Jim.

"No. You go sit and relax."

"If you say so..."

"I do say so, so go sit."

Melinda kissed him on the cheek and went to sit down.

"So, Rick have you heard from Delia? We haven't heard anything."

"Um, yeah, about that," Rick said. "Let's wait until after dinner...I do want to talk to you about something. But it can wait." He smiled.

"OK." She could tell something was wrong, but she didn't want to spoil the evening with bad news.

Just then, the door to the kitchen opened and Jim came in carrying a plateful of ham.

"Oh, that smells great!"

Jim chuckled. "Its the smell of my awesome culinary skills."

Melinda playfully slapped him on the back. It was then that she noticed someone standing behind Rick. She shook her head, and mouthed "not now. Please, not now." The boy nodded, and disappeared.

"So, can we start?" Rick asked.

"Wow, he really is hungry!" Jim said.

"All I ate today was a granola bar."

"Well, since everything is set, we can start."

Rick stuck his fork into the ham and placed it on to his plate.

"So, Rick, have you been watching the Celtics **(a/n I just chose the first team I could think of)** lately?" Jim asked as he took some potatoes.

"Not really. The school has been cutting back on some funds and a bunch of us are not really happy about that. It seems that the Board of Directors are trying to attract a new type of crowd."

"Really? What have they cut back?"

"Oh, mental health and some health care. Plus, some of our benefits have changed, which has made a lot of employees unhappy."

"I wonder what the reason is behind all this. It doesn't seem like they would do that just to attract something different," Melinda said.

"Eh. I'm upset about the benefits but none of the cuts have affected me. Yet."

"Well, I hope they don't cut back on any funding for the program," Jim said.

"I hope so too. Anyway, Melinda, this ham is wonderful. The honey glaze makes it perfect."

Melinda laughed. "You and food."

"So I happen to like food...do you have a problem with that?" Rick teased.

She just laughed harder. "The honey glaze is a recipe from my grandmother. She left me an old recipe book that she had. She was such a good cook."

"Much better than your mother," Jim said quietly.

"I heard that."

Just then the power went off, covering them in darkness.

"Um, that wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Melinda heard Rick say.

"No. It wasn't. Jim?"

No response.

"Jim? Jim, where are you?"

The lights turned on again.

Melinda blinked and looked towards Jim's seat, but it was empty.

_So, how was it? I know its **a lot** shorter than my other chapters, but I just can't seem to find any inspiration. The next chapter will be much longer, I'm sure. But anyway, don't forget to review!_

_**NEXT CHAPTER**: Lost and Found_

_**Summary of Lost and Found:**_

_Melinda receives yet another note. Rick searches for Jim, but finds something unexpected instead._


	10. Lost and Found

As much as I would love to, I do not own Ghost Whisperer or any of the characters.

_Hey, everyone! I'm so glad everyone loves my story! _

_So, I have a little contest. I have 39 Reviews so far. Whoever writes the 50th Review gets a spoiler. If the person doesn't want a major spoiler, then he/she can have small spoiler. If they don't want a spoiler at all, then the "reward" will go to the person who has the 49th Review and so on and so on. That is, if the person wants it. Then, if I get 100 reviews, then I'll hand out a spoiler to the 100th review. But you can't review more than once, because that would be cheating. I think this could be fun, don't you?_

_I am so sorry its taken me so long for me to update! I was having issues on where I want this to go and I still kind of am. In addition, I was on vacation in June for 10 days, so I wasn't really able to work on it. I know, excuses, excuses, but at least its done, right? _

_Well, your probably all **dying** to know what happened to Jim, so enjoy!_

Lost and Found

Without opening his eyes, Jim knew where he was. He could feel the cold air blowing on his back and the movement of the van as it sped along an unknown road. His hands and feet were bound but there was no gag.

_How did I get here?_ he thought.

"Is he awake?" A voice asked.

"No."

"Good. Now, Carson told us that once we leave him at the shack, we need to go straight back to the house. He said that the professor would be gone by then, and that the detective was preoccupied with another case so he wouldn't be there either. All he said was to watch the house, and if she leaves, to follow her. When my phone rings, and its him, we're supposed to go and knock on her door."

"Knock on her door? Just like that? What if she puts up a struggle?"

" Yes, just like that. Carson said that she wouldn't. I don't know why, but he's paying us big money for this, so I don't question him."

It was then that Jim decided to make his presence known. He opened his eyes and coughed.

"Ahh...look who's awake."

"Who are you guys?" Jim pretended to sound groggy, as if he had just woken up.

"That's not of your damn business so shut up. We're almost at our stop, so don't get too comfortable."

Jim looked at the two men sitting up front. The man who was driving had a grey beard and wore jeans and a red checkered shirt. His clothes were wrinkled, and he looked like he hadn't washed his face in weeks. The man in the passenger seat wore a black shirt and khaki shorts. His hair was cropped short and he had a goatee. He looked in his mid-20s while the driver looked about 45.

"What are you staring at?" the younger man asked.

"Nothing," Jim said. He made sure that he could picture his captors so he could tell the police who had kidnapped him.

"Where are you taking me? And where's my wife?!" Jim asked. He knew he had to put on a show so they wouldn't suspect that he had heard them.

"You'll find out soon enough. And as for your wife, I think Carson will take good care of her, so you have no need to worry." The driver smiled evilly. "I can see why he likes her...she's quite a hottie."

Jim swore and kicked the back of the driver's seat, but the man just laughed. They drove in silence for several minutes until they stopped.

"We're here!"

"How are we going to get rid of him?" asked the younger guy.

"How do you think?"

Jim saw the uneasy look on the younger man's face.

_Perhaps I have a chance with him..._Jim thought.

"Come on! We have to be quick! Carson is counting on us. Do you want to end up like that idiot who Carson got rid of?"

He didn't answer, but continued to look nervous.

They got out of the car and opened the back door. Jim saw that it was still night out and that they were in the middle of a random forest.

_Where am I?_

They lifted him up and half-dragged him until they reached a clearing. Just then, the older man's phone rang.

"What? Oh, Sarah, I told you, I'll be home late tonight. No, I can't, remember? But you said you would do it...I know!" He motioned at the younger man to do something, then started to walk back to the van.

The young man pulled a gun out from his pocket, but his hand was shaking. Jim was quick to take an advantage.

"Don't do it, man. You'll end up in up in prison."

He looked at the gun, and then at Jim.

"I-"

"Are you going to leave a woman a widow? Can you picture her looking at you, knowing that you were her husband's killer? Do you think you could do that? Do you think you could kill me, knowing that my wife is in mortal danger?"

"Carson said-"

"Carson is a pathological liar. He'll say anything to get what he wants. Do you think what he's doing is right? Stalking a woman and practically killing her spirit? He'll get rid of you once he's done using you."

The boy looked so pathetic, Jim felt sorry for him.

"Jason! Come on! I haven't got all night! I'll be...Sarah!" they heard the man shout from a distance.

The boy pointed the gun at Jim's head and said "Sorry." Then he pulled the trigger.

100 feet away, the older man snapped his phone shut and started to laugh maniacally.

**Two hours away...**

"I'll be fine, Rick! Just find Jim for me!" Melinda said as Rick grabbed his jacket.

The police had just left, but not before leaving a man behind to watch the house. They promised Melinda that they would make Jim a priority, since he was technically one of them.

"I will, Melinda. I'll do my best to make sure he comes back to you," he replied. He looked at her. "Do you think Shane is behind this?"

She shuddered.

"I don't know. Maybe. But dear God, I hope he isn't."

"I agree. I'll call you, immediately, if I found anything. That's a promise."

"Thanks, Rick. Now go!"

Rick nodded and left the house.

_I hope she'll be OK without me,_ Rick thought as he drove away. _I'm sure the policeman will protect her. Thank God Jim is a fireman; they'll put everything down just to save one of their own._

After Rick left, Melinda locked the door. Then she went around the house, making sure that everything was closed and locked. After double checking the front door, she went upstairs, changed into her nightgown and then got into bed. She tried to sleep, but she couldn't. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she turned the light on and grabbed a book. But she couldn't read, either. All she could think about was her missing husband.

_I hope they find them soon, _she thought._ Before anything happens to me. Oh, I couldn't bear living without him! _

She looked at the clock. It was almost 1:30.

_Maybe a snack will help me sleep._

Down in the kitchen, she was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when she heard a knock on the front door. She grabbed a knife, just in case, and went to see who was at the door. She sighed when she saw it was David Campbell.

"I was wondering who they were going to send," Melinda said as she opened the door and ushered him inside.

"Its me and another guy, Officer Morin. He's patrolling the neighborhood while I'll be here. Anyway, this envelope was left on your doorstep. I didn't open it, but I think you should read it," David said.

"Make yourself comfortable in the living room. Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you."

"OK. Well, let me get my sandwich and then I'll read it."

David could tell she was anxious. _Who wouldn't be? _he thought. _When your husband is missing, presumably kidnapped, there is no reason why you should be calm._

Melinda entered the room, carrying a plate and a glass of milk.

"Can I see it?" she asked as she sat down.

David handed her the envelope; he saw that she was shaking slightly. She broke the seal and read it. He watched her as her face changed from fearfulness to panic.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

Tears were streaming down her face she wordlessly handed her letter to him. It said

_Melinda,_

_I have rid yourself of that unwanted husband. He can no longer harm you.  
__We will be happy together, I promise. I have a plan: we'll go someplace new, where we can start a new life together. We will forget Jim; he won't even be a memory.  
__Two of my most trusted friends will be waiting to pick you up and drive you to where I am. They will knock on your door at 9:00 am today. No need to bring anything, just be ready._

_Love forever,  
__Shane_

David remained silent as Melinda sobbed. Not knowing if this was OK to do, he scooted over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She continued to cry but she took comfort in his arms. After a while, she finally quieted down. Pulling away from his embrace, she looked him in the eye.

"What should I do?" she whispered.

"I will call the station and let them know what is going on. We'll handle this."

"What about Jim?"

"We'll continue to look for him. I don't think Carson will kill him; he's not the killing type. But we will have to prepare for the worst."

Melinda remained silent.

"You need to get some rest. I'll be down here if you need anything."

She nodded. David watched her go up the stairs and by the way she was walking he could tell that she was crying again.

_I will get Carson, no matter what it takes_, he thought. _He took my love away from me, I won't let him do the same to Melinda._

**Meanwhile...**

Rick Payne was driving to his apartment when he noticed the car behind him.

_Its awfully late to be taking a joy ride,_ he thought.

He stopped when he came to a red light and turned on his right signal. When the light went green, he saw that the car behind him turned as well.

_Huh..._

He turned left, taking the long way. The car followed.

_Well, whoever this is isn't being very quiet about following me._

Deciding that going to the police station would be best, he took drove past his apartment complex and continued on towards the station. After driving a couple more miles, the car behind him took a right turn, going the opposite way.

_Must have realized where I was heading. Interesting. I'll drive around a little longer, then head back. _

When he finally reached his apartment, he ran to his door with keys in hand. He closed all the curtains once he was inside and turned one light on. It was then that he realized that there was someone else inside his apartment.

"Hello, Payne."

_I tried to make this longer than the past couple chapters, and trust me, that was a challenge. I just couldn't figure out where to end this. Can you tell I like writing cliffhangers? They are just so much fun! Although, the next chapter won't have one. At least, I don't think it will. I hope you all enjoyed this! I will update when I get a change, which may be sooner or may be later. We'll have to see. And again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Don't forget to review!_

_**NEXT CHAPTER:** Giving In_

_**Summary of Giving In:**_

_Rick makes a deal and Melinda makes an unfortunate decision._


End file.
